The only way was up!

When Airways Optical, part of the Specsavers Group decided to install new State-of-the-Art lens manufacturing machines, the initial thoughts was not where but how! With the need for manufacturing to remain on the ground floor with the New Machines adjacent to earlier manufacturing processes the only solution was to move the stores and packing onto a mezzanine floor.

So when calling in Advantage Storage and Handling, the question was “How can we achieve this need for additional space whilst maintaining our 24 hour, 6 days a week manufacturing operation?” With production stopping at 4.00pm on a Saturday, Advantage installed this 2300sq ft Davicon mezzanine floor during 3 weekends, working afternoons and nights allowing no disruption to production.

Working as a team the Airways staff moved the packing benches after the last shift, allowing Advantage room to use a Genie lift, building the floor over existing stores shelving and services. Additional features to the floor included a pre-decorated white painted finish to the underside of the decking, providing a bright clean appearance and ramp for ease of trolley access.

With Advantage completing the floor, additional shelving was installed to the mezzanine and the existing shelving moved from the ground to the first floor in readiness for the new Machinery.

Leighton Moat, Managing Director of Airways Optical commented, “We were apprehensive on the first weekend, when the steelwork arrived 4.00pm on Saturday, knowing that the first phase had to be completed for the Sunday night-shift production. However, we quickly gained confidence with the Advantage installation teams who proved thorough, quick and extremely tidy; we were delighted with the finished result.”